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Deciding on the perfect colors for your teenager's room can be a bit tricky. Unlike the other rooms in your home, your teen will usually have very strong feelings about what you do to his or her personal space. This is definitely an area where you need to proceed with caution and collect as much input as you can before you begin. Better yet, pull your son or daughter into the project and use the opportunity to teach a little about the wonderful world of color. The following general guidelines can help you understand how the typical teenager thinks:

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Most teens want their room colors to be an extension of their own style, mood, passion or personality.

Teenagers are not at all afraid of bright colors.

As a rule, teens are not crazy about white.

Your son or daughter will usually prefer either a specific color scheme or bedroom colors that complement a theme or the display of a prized possession.

Teens are not impressed by high-end, expensive looks. They tend to prefer a more free-spirited approach.

Young people want their rooms to make a dramatic but comfortable statement, or in keeping with their emerging independence, they want their room to resemble a small studio apartment.

The easiest room change is to paint the walls one bright color, use white as a neutral for furniture and trim work, and add pops of a third bright color for accessories.

Teens change their minds and their tastes frequently. However, paint is relatively cheap and paint colors are easily redone.

Some teens want their favorite color incorporated into their new bedroom design.

TEEN GIRLS' BEDROOMS

Is your daughter ultra feminine, or 'girlie'? Pinks or lavenders with white furniture, colorful bedding and sparkly sequined accents will feel just right. Is she an 'old soul' who loves classics and antiques? Consider shabby chic cotton-candy pinks, light greens and white as a neutral. How about using a floral rug as a focal point and drawing your wall colors from it? Some teens are mature beyond their years. Consider deep reds and muted golds for a cosmopolitan, sophisticated look. The combination of lime green walls with black furniture and white accessories has a modern, contemporary feeling. Throw in some geometric patterns in a bright color to add even more energy to the room. Fun-loving daughters may want to add some huge polka dots to their interior room colors. Vibrant blues and pinks with contemporary bedding in a coordinating pattern will be exciting and interesting. Today's creative girls may be drawn to the energy of bright orange tempered with a pale shade of green or purple.

TEEN BOYS' BEDROOMS

Boys tend to be minimalists. While they may not always be as neat as you would like, they don't want a lot of clutter or busyness on their bedroom walls. Some prefer stark white walls to colorful ones. If so, add some black furniture and accessories and pops of a single bright color such as red, royal blue or grass green. Perhaps your son prefers that his bedroom is a quiet retreat from the craziness of the rest of the world. He might enjoy the paint colors that include the earthier tones of greens, browns and beiges. If your teen wants more drama, consider deep blue and electric orange with beige and white accents. Darker, bolder colors tend to add energy to a room. Sports lovers may want their room to reflect their favorite sport or team. Pull out a dominant color for the walls, add an appropriate sports border and some matching bedding, and the room will be beautifully transformed.

If you are the parent of a teenager, take the time to discuss your child's preferences before you start buying paint. Involve your teen in the process of choosing interior colors and decorating accessories, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the satisfying results.